UNHCR lauds PM’s plan to grant refugees citizenship

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has hailed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s pledge to grant citizenship to around 1.5 million Afghan refugees and Bengalis who were born in Pakistan.

According to a spokesperson of the agency in Pakistan, the UNHCR welcomes the statement by the prime minister about granting citizenship to the Afghan children born in Pakistan.

He said the UNHCR will continue to closely work with the government of Pakistan on these issues in the coming weeks.

During his speech at the floor of the National Assembly on Tuesday, the PM maintained that no international law allows any country to forcibly repatriate refugees, while children born in a particular country are naturally considered citizens of that country worldwide.

“Bengali refugees, for instance, are here (in Pakistan) for more than 40 years and generations have spent their lives here without basic rights, when are we going to take a final decision regarding their future?,” asked the PM.

The premier maintained that during his visit to Karachi, he was told that these refugees, deprived of basic rights, are turning towards crime.